Spirit Guide
by masamune11
Summary: Sometimes he wondered whether the bond between Scorpio and Aquarius saints transcended lifetimes. [Part of "We Will Never Walk This Path Alone" Series. 'Medical Condition Swap!AU. Series of Drabbles. Centers on Manigoldo. Possibly semi-ooc, and for that I apologize. xposted from AO3]


Manigoldo could hear the spirits around whispering whenever they made their presence known. It was one of the perks of his ability to manipulate stray spirits at will, and one of the skills which he really valued. His mentor once taught him that the spirits could not lie, despite their frequent incoherence. That meant, as long as he could piece together what jumbled information they had, Manigoldo could easily know almost anything should he bear with the frustration of understanding broken sentences and fragmented thoughts. He could send one of them on reconnaissance and knew that their information was reliable.

Of course, the spirits also had other uses aside of spying.

During his sparse time in Sanctuary (because the Pope likes to send him away on specific errands that required his particular skills), he would put some of his trusted spirits to look up on his friends. There were no restrictions applied to bugging one's comrades, anyway, and Manigoldo liked to be well informed on what his fellow saints were doing. He might seem as a type of person who would back-stab someone else to save his hide; hence his action to watch everyone's moves aligned with his mild paranoia.

(Though that was not really the other reason why he did that. He would never admit this out loud, but to some degree, he cared for those who shared the same title as he did. Though there were really no camaraderie lost between them, Manigoldo would like to know that he could watch their back, unlike the last time when he was left alive in a raid of his hometown and being unable to do anything.

Of course, Manigoldo was too stubborn to admit such sentimentality.)

It was on one of those frigid winter night when one of the spirit whispered brokenly, tugging the edge of his consciousness from his slumber, that Manigoldo found another revelation.

The spirits whispers were subtle, which was odd because spirits had the barest ingenuity in conveying messages. Most of them even went crazy in within his sense, sometimes to the point that Manigoldo had to forcefully send them away. What made it even more peculiar was how the wisps danced at the edge of a vision—a young woman with silver hair and a grimace that did not fit her pretty face. She frantically pointed her wispy hand upwards, right at the direction of the Aquarius temple.

Before he could ask his questions, the woman was already gone without a trace. Manigoldo could sympathise; while most spirits with whom he had interacted were formless. Keeping their thoughts together must have eaten their sensibility, moreover to appear visible.

He looked at the direction of said temple and knew that something was wrong in one glance. The night was too cold for his liking, and Manigoldo had a hint as to why.

* * *

Sometimes he wondered whether the bond between Scorpio and Aquarius saints transcended lifetimes.

When he looked at Dégel and Kardia, he knew in a glance that they shared a special bond. It was different from the one between him and Albafica (long story, maybe he would elaborate more in another time) or even the camaraderie between Sisyphus and Cid. While each and every one of them would gladly throw their lives for the sake of the other, Manigoldo believed that Kardia would go to hell and back just to ensure the safety of his friend. It was almost as if he was pining—

(No, to say that he was pining was a gross understatement. Kardia loved him in many ways possible, though he wondered himself if said man realised this. The Scorpio Saint was never a sharp man about this kind of thing, after all.)

The woman returned again, now kneeling by the side of the Aquarius. None of the two was aware, with Kardia being too focused on bursting his cosmo to warm the other up and Dégel laying limp on the bed, him breathing so slowly that Manigoldo was amazed he was even alive. The Cancer Saint noticed icy coating on the surface of Kardia's armour and knew right away that he was already fighting a losing battle.

The man was not strong enough.

Manigoldo's gaze shifted to the ghostly woman again, her blank eyes staring back at him as her thoughts were made known. It surprised him, because her words were coherent—a desperate plea from a dead woman to her alleged master.

Please help him.

(He could not say no, not when he could do something about it.)

"Kardia," he started, snapping the other's concentration away from his ward. Manigoldo was quite surprised that the other hadn't even realised his coming, but he quickly dismissed that thought, "you're only making his condition worse. The more you pour out, the more he's taking. You're just feeding his uncontrollable power."

He could hear him grinding is teeth together in frustration, "and what, let the frost freeze him to death? I fucking know that, and it will not stop me. The episode will eventually pass—"

"—and you'll die with him out of sheer exhaustion," Manigoldo growled, "Double suicide, Kardia? Really? I never peg you as a suicidal kind."

Perhaps the other was too tired, or maybe Dégel just outweighed any priorities available to Kardia, but the man did not rebuke. His cosmo continued trickling to the ailing saint, like invisible liquid fire that was quickly doused with arctic wind.

The woman looked at him again. Save him. Please.

Manigoldo sighed and pointed his finger to the Aquarius Saint, knowing full well that what he was about to do would probably freak the hell out of the Scorpio Saint. But he had no other idea at that moment, and the only thing that he could think of was ripping away the engine that governed one's body.

"You just need help sometime, dummy," he added again, his cosmo expanded, until it bursted, "Sekishiki Meikai Ha!"

(Without a soul, there would be nothing to govern the body—nothing hindering Kardia to do what he must do).

He subtly heard Kardia's profanities and paid him no heed. It was more rewarding to see her grimace turning into a smile as she faded away-hopefully in peace. Perhaps he could bring her with him, gave her a complementary safe passage to the entrance of the Underworld despite its rashness.

But right then, he should follow where he sent Dégel—like a good spirit guide he was.


End file.
